Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Quercus sp.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98QSFTCxe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Quercus plant, which has been given the varietal name xe2x80x98QSFTCxe2x80x99. I discovered my new tree in 1995 as a chance seedling in a cultivated area of a nursery growing area in Bulloch County, Ga.
The parentage of this tree is not totally certain. It is definitely a red oak type usually represented by Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, or Red Oak, Quercus rubra. There are also several related species, including Nuttall Oak (Quercus nuttallii), Shumard Oak (Quercus shumardii), and Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea). My new tree has characteristics and a history that have prevented making an exact identification of its species possible. However, I believe it is a new variety of Quercus shumardii. 
Seeds were collected from a group of three trees of an unknown variety in Birmingham, Ala. The seed were collected in fall of 1991 and planted into seedbeds in late winter of 1992. In spring of 1993, 1,200 bare-root liners were transplanted to a growing area of a nursery. This is where I discovered my new variety as a single plant. The original tree has remained at this location since its discovery.
The original tree has displayed characteristics resembling Nuttall Oak and Scarlet Oak, as well as, Shumard Oak. There is much confusion over the exact identification of this tree, and several experienced individuals have expressed differing opinions. The only consistency has been the opinion that the acorn is generally the most distinguishing characteristic determining the species difference between Nuttall Oak and Shumard Oak. Other trees from the group of 1,200 have fruited, and their acorns resemble both Nuttall Oak and Shumard Oak. However, acorns from my new tree have more characteristics of a Shumard Oak which suggests that my new tree is most likely a Shumard Oak or at least has Shumard Oak as a parent. Other physical characteristics of the tree, such as leaf size, sinus depth, or bud features, do not provide definitive answers as to the true parentage of the tree.
Also, Shumard Oak, as well as most other red oak types, readily hybridize with one another, and thus there is a possibility that this tree is a result of a cross between a Nuttall Oak and Shumard Oak or some other species of red oak. In Texas, Nuttall Oak is found in the lower Southeast corner of Texas, Shumard is located in a wide band covering most of the eastern part of the state, and Texas Red Oak, Quercus texana, is the primary tree in the central part of the state east of Dallas. There is also a large swath of habitat between the primary Shumard Oak and Texas Red Oak regions where the predominant tree is a hybrid between Shumard Oak and Texas Red Oak. Thus, hybrids are common and can easily make up a large population of the trees in any given area.
In 1995, this original tree of my new variety was successfully propagated by softwood cuttings at my direction, and the progeny have thus far proven to retain the dense, upright, uniform branching pattern, glossy, dark green leaf, and red fall color of the original tree even as smaller plants.
I have observed this original tree of my new variety and asexually propagated progeny for a period of time and believe my new variety particularly useful as a specimen or for grouping in lawns, parks, golf courses, commercial landscapes, and as a street tree. It provides good shade, has a fast growth rate, adapts well to various planting conditions, and has good structural integrity. It also provides ornamental interest with its red fall color.
Typical Shumard Oaks and Nuttall Oaks are pyramidal trees that become more spreading with age. My original tree and asexually propagated progeny have an upright shape. I expect the trees to become more spreading with age as is typical of the species. Both Shumard Oak and Nuttall Oak typically reach 40 to 60 feet high and wide in the landscape, but can reach 100 feet or more in nature.
My new variety has been asexually propagated at my direction in Bulloch County, Ga. from softwood cuttings. This propagation and observation of the resulting progeny have proven the characteristics of my new variety to be firmly fixed. Furthermore, these observations have confirmed that my new variety represents a new and improved variety of Shumard Oak as particularly evidenced by the dense, upright, uniform branching pattern, glossy, dark green leaf, and red fall color and which can reliably be asexually propagated using vegetative propagation techniques. The progeny have yet to produce any acorns.
As I observed the original tree of my new variety, the uniqueness of this tree became apparent because of its dense, upright, uniform branching pattern, glossy, dark green leaf, and consistent red fall color. These characteristics distinguish my new tree from other Shumard Oaks of which I am aware. This tree is capable of being reproduced reliably using vegetative cuttings.